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Manufacturing · head to head

Aras Innovator vs Hippo CMMS

Aras Innovator logo

Aras Innovator

Manufacturing

Subscription PLM platform where every module is included in the seat price

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hippo CMMS logo

Hippo CMMS

Manufacturing

Straightforward maintenance management, now part of Eptura

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Aras Innovator has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Aras Innovator aras publishes no prices at all, so you cannot sanity-check a quote against a list price and every negotiation starts from the vendor knowing more than you do.; Hippo CMMS no longer sold as a standalone product, so a new evaluation is really an Eptura evaluation with a different scope and price
  • They diverge on capability: Aras Innovator covers Model-based configuration, Hippo CMMS covers Interactive site maps.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aras Innovator and Hippo CMMS actually diverge.

Attributes where Aras Innovator and Hippo CMMS differ
AttributeAras InnovatorHippo CMMS
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Cloud, Self-hostedWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: pricing model (quote), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Manufacturing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aras Innovator

  • Model-based configuration
  • Upgrades included
  • All applications in one subscription
  • CAD data management
  • Effectivity and configuration management
  • Community Edition
  • Open REST and OData APIs

Only in Hippo CMMS

  • Interactive site maps
  • Work order management
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Equipment records
  • Vendor management
  • Mobile access

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aras Innovator

  • A manufacturer whose current PLM cannot be upgraded because past customisations would break, and who wants configuration that survives releasesnot Hippo CMMS
  • An engineering organisation that needs requirements, quality and change management under one data model without buying three modulesnot Hippo CMMS
  • A medical device or aerospace firm needing full traceability from requirement to as-built serial numbernot Hippo CMMS
  • A company piloting PLM on a real programme using the free 50-user Community Edition before committing budgetnot Hippo CMMS

Hippo CMMS

  • Facilities teams wanting a CMMS that a non-specialist can operatenot Aras Innovator
  • Sites where locating an asset on a floor plan is the natural way to find itnot Aras Innovator
  • Existing Hippo customers evaluating whether to stay within Epturanot Aras Innovator
  • Organisations wanting maintenance inside a broader workplace management suitenot Aras Innovator

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aras Innovator

  • Aras publishes no prices at all, so you cannot sanity-check a quote against a list price and every negotiation starts from the vendor knowing more than you do.
  • The platform ships as a toolkit rather than a configured process, so a first implementation is typically a six to twelve month engagement with an integrator, and services frequently cost more than the first two years of subscription.
  • The Community Edition is capped at 50 named users, gets only annual releases and excludes Aras-performed upgrades, so it is a genuine free tier but a deliberately awkward place to stay.
  • Configuration flexibility invites over-customisation; organisations that model every local exception end up with a system only two internal people understand, which is the same trap they left their previous PLM to escape.
  • CAD connectors are not all equal in maturity, and some are excluded from the base subscription, so a shop standardised on a less common CAD tool should confirm connector scope in writing before signing.

Hippo CMMS

  • No longer sold as a standalone product, so a new evaluation is really an Eptura evaluation with a different scope and price
  • Pricing is not published, which makes it hard to compare against MaintainX or Limble without a sales process
  • The simplicity that was its selling point becomes a ceiling for organisations with complex asset hierarchies
  • Reporting is basic against competitors that have invested heavily in analytics
  • Product direction now follows Eptura workplace strategy rather than maintenance-specific needs

Pricing, plan by plan

Aras Innovator

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Up to 50 named users
    • Core product data platform
    • Yearly release cadence only
  • Subscription (Standard, self-hosted)$undefined/year
    • Named-user subscription
    • All applications included
    • Quarterly releases
  • Subscription (SaaS)$undefined/year
    • Aras-hosted and operated
    • All applications included
    • Quarterly releases

Hippo CMMS

On request
  • Eptura Asset$undefined/month
    • Work order management
    • Preventive maintenance
    • Asset records

Which should you pick?

Choose Aras Innovator if

  • You need model-based configuration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want upgrades included.
Aras Innovator review

Choose Hippo CMMS if

  • You need interactive site maps.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want work order management.
Hippo CMMS review

Questions people ask

Is Aras Innovator or Hippo CMMS better?
Neither clearly leads. Aras Innovator starts at Free and Hippo CMMS at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aras Innovator or Hippo CMMS?
Aras Innovator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Aras Innovator and On request for Hippo CMMS.
Does Aras Innovator or Hippo CMMS run on more platforms?
Aras Innovator runs on Web, Windows, Cloud, Self-hosted. Hippo CMMS runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Aras Innovator for free?
Yes. Aras Innovator has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hippo CMMS starts at On request.
What is Aras Innovator best used for?
Aras Innovator is most often used for a manufacturer whose current plm cannot be upgraded because past customisations would break, and who wants configuration that survives releases, an engineering organisation that needs requirements, quality and change management under one data model without buying three modules, a medical device or aerospace firm needing full traceability from requirement to as-built serial number, a company piloting plm on a real programme using the free 50-user community edition before committing budget. Of those, a manufacturer whose current plm cannot be upgraded because past customisations would break, and who wants configuration that survives releases and an engineering organisation that needs requirements, quality and change management under one data model without buying three modules are not what Hippo CMMS is typically brought in for.
What can Aras Innovator do that Hippo CMMS cannot?
Aras Innovator covers Model-based configuration, Upgrades included, All applications in one subscription, CAD data management. Hippo CMMS covers Interactive site maps, Work order management, Preventive maintenance, Equipment records.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aras Innovator: Is Aras Innovator open source?

No. The source is not open. The Community Edition is free of licence fee for up to 50 named users under a revocable licence, which is not the same thing.

Hippo CMMS: Is Hippo CMMS still available?

Not as a standalone purchase. It was acquired by Eptura and its capabilities are part of Eptura Asset. Existing customers are still served.

Aras Innovator: Can I buy a perpetual licence?

No. Aras sells subscription only. If a perpetual PLM licence is a procurement requirement, Aras is out.

Hippo CMMS: What was distinctive about it?

Interactive facility maps. Placing assets on a floor plan and raising work orders from the drawing is a genuinely different way to navigate a site, and it is why it retained users against slicker competitors.

Aras Innovator: Do upgrades cost extra?

No, and that is the central commercial claim. Aras performs upgrades of subscriber environments, including customised ones, as part of the subscription.

Hippo CMMS: What does it cost?

Not published. Eptura quotes, which is a change from Hippo, whose pricing was easier to establish.

Aras Innovator: How many modules do I have to buy?

One subscription covers all applications. Some CAD connectors are the exception, so confirm yours is in scope.

Hippo CMMS: Should a new buyer consider it?

Evaluate Eptura Asset on its own terms, against MaintainX and Limble. Choosing it because of Hippo reviews written before the acquisition is a mistake.

Hippo CMMS: What happens to existing customers?

They continue to be supported within Eptura. The practical question is whether the broader workplace suite fits, since that is where the product roadmap now points.

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